PennWest California vs. Saint Francis University

Should I go to PennWest California or Saint Francis University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or Saint Francis University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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PennWest California vs. Saint Francis University comparison
PennWest California Saint Francis University College 3 College 4
PennWest California Saint Francis University
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Overview

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Location California, PA Loretto, PA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 2,857
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #510
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu francis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $39,820
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $39,820
Room & Board $10,416 $13,452
Avg Net Price - $27,459
Avg Grant Aid $0 $28,453
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,167
Admitted - 1,583
Acceptance Rate 73.1%
Enrolled % 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 20/26
SAT Range 940/1150 1030/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Graduation Rate 53% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

PennWest California Saint Francis University
% Men 39% 37%
% Women 61% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 46%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 41%

Students

PennWest California Saint Francis University
% In-State 86% 71%
% Out-of-State 13% 27%

Campus

PennWest California Saint Francis University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Saint Francis University based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 2,857 students)

PennWest California vs. Saint Francis University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Saint Francis University?

  • Saint Francis University is 416.1% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($39,820.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 244% higher at Saint Francis University than PennWest California ($39,820.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 29.1% lower than costs at Saint Francis University ($10,416 vs. $13,452)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Francis University than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Francis University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($28,453 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or Saint Francis University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Saint Francis University or PennWest California .

  • The average SAT score at Saint Francis University (1060) is 138 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Saint Francis University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Francis University students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Saint Francis University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Saint Francis University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Saint Francis University and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Francis University is higher than PennWest California (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Saint Francis University earn on average $11,500 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Francis University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Francis University graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Francis University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/